The Review

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Tuesday, March 31, 2009

That's right. The amount of money that the Federal Government has either spent, lent or guaranteed is $12.8 TRILLION. That is a figure that approaches the total Gross Domestic Product. The 2008 GDP for the entire nation was $14.2 Trillion. That is $42,105 for every man, woman and child in America.

Think of it this way. The Government just put one of those coffee cans at the front desk of every company in the US, with Timothy Geithner's picture on it. Below his sad looking picture are the words, "Can you help poor little Timmy have a productive life? Little Timmy is in dire condition and without your sacrifice, he might not make it". The only difference is that this little "donation can", has a Dr. Evil sized magnet at the bottom of the can. Every single, solitary dollar that is produced by every company in the US is sucked into the Government "donation" can.

The Chicago Tribune's "Clout Street" reports today that minority business owners are against any reform of the bloated Cook County health care system. (story here)

NOTE: Guess the Tribune determined that "minority business" is against it simply because Democrat Cook County Commissioner Robert Maldonado (photo right) was flanked by a few of them during his statement today.

Well, back to the point. Democrat machine member Maldonado's statement was in response to a Health and Hospitals System Board's recommended reform for the bloated and bankrupt system. In response to reform that would save $20 million per year, Maldonado said:

“Is this the kind of economy we want for the people of Cook County?”

That pretty much says it all. Following his statement, Maldonado smiled and then went back to fiddling while the Cook County Health and Hospital System burns.

Like death and taxes, the illegal immigration marches will take place in our very own sanctuary city of Chicago on May 1 - known around the world as International Worker's Day. With Chicagoan Obama in the White House, there's sure to be a good turnout of anarchists looking to celebrate. Perhaps Al Gore's global warming will bring a snow storm.

Thanks to complete Democrat control in both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly and every statewide constitutional office, the jobless rate in Illinois is one of the highest in the nation. Of course, Quinn never connects joblessness to food stamps. No Democrat ever does.

While driving to an appointment yesterday (in my black vehicle which demands more energy than its white counterpart), I was lamenting over the news that Rick Wagoner was forced out of General Motors. What struck me was this however. What should I be more upset about? The fact our Government used its power to force a private citizen to resign from his job? Or that millions of Americans will cheer its actions? After all, very few if any feel bad for the rich corporate executive, right?

Thus here lies the challenge. How can Republicans connect to millions of regular folks whom get sucked into the tractor beam-equivalent of class warfare? How can Republicans better articulate the consequences to personal freedom which are under assault from Democrats?

On previous posts that I've made, there have been a couple left-wing zealots who told me I have no idea what I'm talking about. The comments have ranged from esoteric definitions of what socialism is, to criticism that I've overblown things.

Sure - I was wrong. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Turns out Barney Frank didn't know that I was wrong, he's still leading the parade towards socialism. (I'm not sure, but I think the music I hear at Barney's parade is "It's Raining Men", but I could be wrong again). The bill that is winding its way though his committee would regulate all salaries of all employees at all firms that are getting "bailout money".

Chicago, IL – In response to higher taxes and unprecedented levels of government spending ushered in by the Obama White House and his Democratic compatriots in Congress, not to mention the Democratic leadership in Chicago, Cook County, and Springfield, the Chicago Young Republicans (CYRs) are hosting a Chicago Tea Party on Tax Day, April 15th, on Lake Michigan on the largest sailing ship in America.

Since President Obama’s inauguration in January, nothing less than “generational theft” has ensued. This larceny is an $800 billion stimulus package that will cost taxpayers an estimated $2 trillion once interest on projected deficits and new government programs embedded within are made permanent. Instead of extending the Bush tax cuts at a time when relief is needed more than ever, Obama will allow them to expire in 2011, simultaneously hiking taxes on capital gains, and unduly punishing individual initiative and the entrepreneurial spirit of the nation.

At the end of the day, Congressman Schock is only three years older than me. Which means he can relay a message in ways my father never could. His lack of cynicism is refreshing—he offered a different, dare I say more modern, point of view than those who have tried to make me feel unwelcome in the GOP—yet according to the Washington Post he votes 91 percent of the time along party lines, a testament to his dedication to conservative ideals. Schock’s youth allows him to be more attached to my (our) generation, yet he has not oversaturated himself in the media, making him all the more intriguing. With that comes much power; I encourage Schock, and the Republican Party, to embrace his age and his political convictions to continue to communicate conservative ideals to a growing audience.

Although Naperville North cancelled Billy Ayers scheduled appearance (See Superintendent Leis' announcement here) there's another resident radical leftist parents and taxpayers should be aware of: Kermit Eby, III. He's on staff at Naperville North, and is the one who invited Ayers to come in the first place.

A brief "Google" of Naperville North teacher Kermit Eby III, and we find Eby

Teaches advanced placement American History and social studies, and is responsible for inviting Bill Ayers

Not only did McHenry County Pro-Lifers spend last mid-Saturday demonstrating outside in the cold on Route 47 in front of Democrat Jack Franks' office, but they gathered somewhere to speak to him and McHenry County Republican State Rep. Mark Beaubien about their co-sponsorship of House Bill 2354.

Some of the messages from constituents were poignant, some were resentful, some were almost mournful, some were demanding, some were threatening. Some were combined with compliments.

The petition was filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware. Chairman Jeremy Halbreich said the filing was a difficult decision but essential for the company “to re-establish itself as a self-sustaining, profitable operation. That is worth fighting for.”

The problem for the Sun-Times, like a growing number of liberal mouthpieces, is outstanding tax debt. Unbelievable. How did it reach $608 million in back taxes? Blame Conrad Black... right.

The company has one significant creditor -- the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS has said Sun-Times Media Group owes up to $608 million in back taxes and penalties from past business practices by its former controlling owner, Conrad Black, now imprisoned for theft from corporate coffers.

Where's the community sacrifice and willingness to share the social burden? None of the rest of us could have ignored those IRS letters, could we?

Sunday afternoon at the Cook County GOP Lincoln Day Luncheon, former Chicago Public School CEO Paul Vallas gave one why he left the Democratic Party to become a Republican. He's currently leading the New Orleans public school system through a dramatic overhaul ...

“When you take one financially bankrupt system after another, it forces you to become a fiscal conservative, it forces you to embrace supply side economics. It forces you to realize you will be an abysmal failure if you do not figure out a way to deliver governmental services in the most cost-effective way.”

The other reason is Vallas recognition of the desperate need for educational choice.

Since there's no place for fiscal conservatives and educational freedom advocates in the union-dominated Democratic Party, it makes pretty good sense that Vallas is now a Republican.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Suppose that IR never ran articles about politics, religion, or social and economic issues, but only about sports. Suppose that IR Contributor Joe Tinker wrote an article about why the infield fly rule is a good idea if it applies to everyone evenly.

Here's how the Obama organization would pass out assignments. Recruit at least six very immature Obamaiacs with maybe one semester of junior college and nothing but time on their hands because they don't have a real life. Tell them their "mission" is to disrupt the Cub fans (or Sox fans it does not matter which). Then give them fake names such as "Former Cub Fan from Batavia" or "Umpire's son from Romeoville."

Who can check to call you a liar?. As the famous New Yorker cartoon once said, "No one can tell you are a dog on the Internet." Make sure that the fake names imply the trolls are formerly sympathetic for the Cubs but have sadly had to abandon them because the Cubs have lost their idealism or competitive desire or their will to live or sensitivity or humanity and Wrigley Gum is part of the worldwide conspiracy. Then have one of the trolls attack the infield fly rule as racist, or sexist, or anti-American because only a moron would try to deliberately drop a pop fly ball in order to start a double play. No one would do that in real life of course.

Earth Hour. The hour that we were all supposed to turn off our lights in support of the planet. The AP is touting Earth Hour as a "Big Success". But was it?

One of my favorite blogs. is "Watts Up With That?", by Anthony Watts. This is perhaps one of the best blogs related to global warming. In this post, they show the energy usage from the California grid. While environmental groups trumpet Earth Hour as a success, it is clear that it was only a marketing success, not an actual success for the planet. Even Al Gore must have thought this was a waste of time.

There are numerous ideas out there that will have a significant impact on the amount of energy we use in this country. We should embrace those ideas. We are supposed to be stewards of our planet. However, we need to support ideas that are factually based, well thought out, and are economically feasible, not just feel good ideas. "I turned off my light bulbs for an hour - I care". Right. If you want to pursue this idea, and have a nice cocktail for Earth Hour - I'm in. Just make sure it tastes good. I'm not drinking green swill that tastes like antifreeze just to support the planet.

On a printout of a Cook County Board of Review decision (right - click to enlarge), a handwritten memo dated July 8, 2008 describes a conversation between the writer and a "Bimal", possibly the Comfort Suites Inn -Schaumburg owner Bimal Dositi, listed at the top of the report.

Noting how Dositi would save $284,013 over three years after the '07 property taxes on his Comfort Suites were appealed and lowered, the hand-written memo states: "I asked Bimal -- and he agreed -- to cover my sign bill ($12 K) and provide xxrooms for workers both in '08 and in '10."

CHICAGO- In an attempt to hide his record of questionable loans to crime figures and willingness to look the other way on Rod Blagojevich’s flagrant corruption, Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias announced today that his Senate campaign will refuse donations from corporate PACs and federal lobbyists.

“No amount of phony reform and renewal pledges from Alexi Giannoulias can hide his shameful history of bankrolling mobsters and convicted felons like Tony Rezko,” said ILGOP Spokesman Lance Trover.

The Giannoulias family bank, Broadway bank, made millions of dollars in loans to Tony Rezko as well as Michael Giorango and Boris Stratievsky, convicted felons and reputed mob figures. These loans were made while Alexi Giannoulias was the chief loan officer.

Lost any friends lately? We sure have—and it’s not because of bad behavior or forgetting to send thank you notes. And it’s not just us. Throughout Illinois, people are losing friends, coworkers, and acquaintances at record levels.

They’re losing them to other states.

During the past 10 years, over 727,150 people left our state, ranking Illinois third in the nation in net outmigration. “We’re moving to Texas,” to paraphrase what a few friends have said. “Dallas has the best growth opportunity for what I do. Plus, there’s no income tax and property taxes are much lower. We can live like kings there.”

UPDATE 2:37: And now Boston College also cancelled Ayers' appearance! Check it out HERE.

BOSTON -- A 1960s radical whose relationship with President Barack Obama became an issue during the presidential campaign had his visit to Boston College abruptly canceled Friday night.

The Jesuit university withdrew two student groups’ invitation to former radical William Ayers to speak on campus Monday.

District 203 Board Member Jackie Romberg says the Ayers appearance has been cancelled at Naperville North. Via email:

Thank you very much for your e-mail regarding Ayers visit to Naperville North High School. I too have been concerned about this event since learning of it last week, and have been working on it since. I want to advise you that this event has been canceled. A formal announcement will follow later today via Talk 203

If only the children in the Washington D.C. school choice program were Wall Street money changers or a "shovel-ready" project in West Virginia Robert Byrd could put his name on.

If they were, then perhaps the 1,700 children currently realizing the benefits of school choice in Washington D.C. would have made the recipients list for the $1.2 trillion worth of other people's money President Obama and Congressional Democrats have spent in the last month alone.

I suppose $1.2 trillion just doesn't go as far as it once did, particularly when the federal government is buying up unsold PT Cruisers and auto company executives' Detroit Lions season tickets and other such toxic assets.

Recently Human Events asked its readers who they believed were the “Top Ten enemies of American economic recovery.”
Participants ranked from 1-10 the most dangerous of 30 listed players
in our economic tsunami. Here are the results:

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Last week a great American and Illinoisan was laid to rest. Life-long Republican William C. Croft passed away on March 21, 2009.

Born January 8, 1918 in Greenville, North Carolina, Croft was a student at The Citadel from 1935-36 and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy in 1940. A World War II veteran, he served from Ensign to Lt. Commander in the United States Navy from 1940-46.

Following the war and his service in the Navy, Croft went into business as Technical Supervisor for Anaconda Wire/Cable Co. in Orange California, then as General Manager at the William J. Moran Co., in Alhambra, California.

Croft then moved to Illinois where he became Manufacturing Manager at the Chicago-based Pyle-National Co.; rising to President of the firm in 1955 and serving until 1977. He then served as Chairman of the Board of Clements National Co. until his death.

AP is reporting today that so many Illinoisans turned off their lights for Saturday night's Earth Hour that Com Ed's demand in the Chicago area went down by 7% and throughout the rest of the state by 1%. We forgot about it at our house, not that it mattered to us anyway. But Earth Hour certainly mattered to our new governor:

Gov. Pat Quinn flipped a 4-foot-tall light switch in Chicago Saturday to kick off the 60-minute annual event sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund. Hundreds of communities throughout the state participated in the international campaign to highlight the need for conservation.

Ever tried to fix something with limited resources and naysayers standing on the sidelines telling you how hopeless the job is and why try? Looks like newly-elected RNC Chairman Michael Steele has hit that spot in his new challenge, and he's decided to spend some time and effort gathering opinions from Republicans.

If you're a conservative, and you want your views included in the information he's gathering to begin a new chapter in the RNC, now's the time to chime in -- HERE.

Check out the RNC's survey, and let your opinions be known. Standing on the sidelines and criticizing never fixed anything.

A message from the following conservative leaders, representing the broader conservative movement:

Edwin Meese, former Attorney GeneralGrover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax ReformDavid Keene, chairman of the American Conservative UnionTim Phillips, president of Americans for ProsperityDavid McIntosh, former U.S. Representative from IndianaWendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for AmericaAlfred S. Regnery, publisher of The American Spectator

Obama’s Bailout Budget will Bankrupt Americans as it bails out government and special interests, adding $10,000 per family per year to the national debt for the next ten years.

The unprecedented massive spending in the budget proposed by President Barack Obama is simply a bailout for government and special interests. The National Energy Tax and other tax hikes take resources out of the hands of struggling working Americans to finance this bailout. In order to pay for this spending spree, the government will cause irresponsible increases in the deficit, bankrupt the country, and place crushing financial burdens on future generations.

The leading pro-family group in Illinois is Illinois Family Institute, and we're proud to provide them with complimentary access to our Illinois Review community. Take a moment and listen to their latest public service announcement by clicking on the logo in our right column.

And thanks to Illinois Family Institute for leading the way in protecting traditional family values.

Think your phone calls and emails to legislators don't matter? Not so. Check out what State Rep. Kathy Ryg (D-Vernon Hills) is saying this weekend. Evidently, the 35 radical pro-aborts who've signed on as co-sponsors, they've been unable to garner the votes needed to pass HB 2354, a law that would ban any restrictions onabortion. Let's keep the pressure on!

Thank you for taking the time to contact me about the Reproductive Healthcare Access Act.

The supporters of HB2354 met to review the Reproductive Healthcare Access Act. We agreed that additional clarifications are needed to reflect what the bill does and does not do. We agreed also that the bill will not be called for a vote in its present form...

Sean Hannity will be broadcasting his show "Hannity" live and on-site at the Atlanta, Georgia Tax Day Tea Party. The Tea Party will be held at 9pm EST at the Georgia State Capital. The Tax Day Tea Parties are being held across the country on April 15th to protest the unprecedented wasteful spending by the Obama Administration and certain members in Congress.

Far too often, Republicans and Conservatives have allowed themselves to be viewed as the anti-environmental party. Democrats have labeled us as a party that doesn't care about clean water or protecting land and wildlife.

The trouble is, that we view things differently. Teddy Roosevelt championed saving vast portions of the country's most beautiful forests. For the most part, Republicans have pushed for greater investment in public works project to build better water treatment and sewage treatment plants. It's not a matter of caring or not caring, it is a matter of approach.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Illinois businessman and United Republican Fund director Randy Truckenbrodt testified this week to the House Financial Services Committee chaired by Barney Frank (D-MA).

Truckenbrodt, who is President of Randall Industries, Inc., spoke on behalf of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) as part of a panel during a hearing entitled "Exploring the Balance between Increased Credit Availability and Prudent Lending Standards".

NAPERVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT 203Message sent - 3/27/2009Statement regarding proposed Ayers visit to NNHS

We have received numerous emails and phone calls regarding the proposed visit of UIC professor Dr. Bill Ayers to speak with Naperville North High School students next month, with permission from their parents.

The leftist demagogues require hate to advance the class warfare
that occupies the central space in their agenda. The hate that Obama
and his ilk can foster toward a variety of evil and undeserving
portions of the population (for example: self-made successful people)
is a good hate in the not quite Newspeak of this era. In fact, this
type of hate (actual hate) is not considered hate, instead it is viewed
as compassion.

In this brave new world “hate” has a new composition. Only in a
fledgling Utopia such as our glorious Obamanation does “hate” attain so
many new and diverse meanings. Here is a partial list of the Obamaspeak
definitions of “hate”:

We think we'd like to hear more from this downstate "Simple Guy," featured on TownHall.com ...

I’ve been asked before, “What is a Conservative?” I’d like to express what a simple, middle class, common sense, Midwestern American Conservative believes in.

One of my favorite Ronald Reagan quotes is, “All great change begins at the dinner table.” Unfortunately, our current president, and so many of his Washington partners, has twisted that truth into something like, “All great change begins in Washington.” In fact, the president stated recently that, “…at this particular moment, only government…can break the vicious cycles that are crippling our economy.”

Landline.org lauds moves yesterday in the General Assembly to end Illinois' current split speeds:

Illinois law now requires large vehicles to travel 10 mph below the 65 mph speed limit for other vehicles. House lawmakers voted 77-35 to advance a bill – HB3956 – that would allow vehicles weighing more than 8,000 pounds to travel 65 mph on highways outside Chicago and the five surrounding “collar” counties.

The Senate voted 38-14 to approve a similar plan – SB1467 – that exempts only the Chicago area.

Watch this YouTube from a visit Billy Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn had with students at the University of Colorado, and tell us that Michelle and Barack Obama didn't have some animated philosophical discussions with these Hyde Park neighbors that just could be influencing the President's agenda? One afternoon with overbearing Bernadine and beaten down Billy, and you'd either have to succumb or break away, never to return. Obama stayed closely in touch.

It's a shame State Senator Larry Bomke (R-Springfield) couldn't get six colleagues in the Senate Higher Ed committee to support his idea to ban persons who've committed an act of violence against the United States or the State of Illinois from teaching at state universities. You'd think six from Senators Maloney, Frerichs, Crotty, Koehler, Rev. Meeks, Sullivan, Burzynski, Althoff, Cronin or Luechtefeld would agree to help move the bill to the floor for debate, but apparently, SB 41's dead in the Assignments Committee for this year.

The timing this spring would have been perfect, with Weather Underground instigators Billy Ayers and his wife Bernadine Dohrn labeled of "persons of interest" in the re-opened 1970 murder case of San Francisco police sergeant Brian McDonnell. Killed when a home-made bomb exploded on the police station's window sill -- just as Ayers and Dohrn planned with WU anarchists -- no one ever paid a price for that crime.

On MARCH 28, 1885, the Salvation Army was organized in the United States. It was begun in England by "General" William Booth in 1865, who conducted meetings among the poor in London's East End slums. Originally named the Christian Mission, he designed uniforms and adopted a semi-military system of leadership.

Friday, March 27, 2009

If you've got some time this weekend to watch this excellent, rather left-sympathetic documentary on the Weather Underground, you'll be reminded why parents at Naperville North are up in arms. Word tonight is the phone calls have been pouring into the school administration and mayor's office, and unrepentent domestic terrorist Bill Ayers may be uninvited from addressing the students next week.